The Supreme Court of Ohio & The Ohio Judicial System

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May 7, 2012
Justice Lanzinger Participates in OSBA Convention Panel

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger recently participated at the Ohio State Bar Association’s Annual Convention. Justice Lanzinger on May 2 joined several attorneys across the state as well as Judge Richard D. Reinbold Jr., of Canton on a panel discussion on the importance of closing arguments. The convention was held at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati.

Justice Lanzinger spoke from 28 years of judicial experience, including 8 years on the Sixth District Court of Appeals and 7 years on the Supreme Court. She told the lawyers about the best practices for closing arguments and ways to help gain a juror’s attention.

“Closing arguments are the product of art, rather than of science,” Justice Lanzinger said. “Preparation and flexibility are both crucial for an attorney to effectively persuade the jury.”

Now serving her second six-year term on the Supreme Court, Justice Lanzinger is the only person ever elected to every level of Ohio’s judiciary. The 150th Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio, she previously served on the Sixth District Court of Appeals for Ohio, the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas and the Toledo Municipal Court. Her varied judicial experience allows her a unique perspective of the state court system.